The L-UMTAS missile, fired from a Hurkus at the Firing Test and Evaluation Group Command test range near the central Anatolian town of Konya-Karapinar, hit its target successfully, Turkish defence minister Fikri Isik stated on 8 April in a message posted on Twitter.

The L-UMTAS, which is capable of engaging targets at ranges out to 8 km, is also being developed with an anti-personnel warhead as an alternative to its tandem anti-tank warhead.

Currently mounted on T129 attack helicopters (jointly developed by TAI and Italy’s AgustaWestland), the 20th of which was delivered to the Turkish armed forces on 9 April, the L-UMTAS is also designed to be fired from fixed-wing aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles as well as land and sea platforms, according to a statement released by the Turkish Defence Industries Undersecretariat (SSM) on 7 April.

The Hurkus, which along with the L-UMTAS will also be armed with Roketsan UMTAS infrared-guided anti-tank missiles and Cirit laser-guided 70 mm rockets as well as bombs upgraded with Teber precision guidance kits, has five stores pylons and will be able to carry a payload of 1,500 kg, the SSM added.

As well as operating as basic trainers, armed Hurkus aircraft will be able to conduct light assault and armed reconnaissance missions in the counter-insurgency role. The type is planned to enter into service in 2018.

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L-UMTAS anti-tank missile

Properties of the Product

UMTAS, with its Imaging Infrared Seeker and Laser Seeker options, is an anti-tank missile, having a range of 8 km and lock on before/after launch and “fire and forget/fire and update” properties, used against armored targets, from air to ground as well as ground to ground.

UMTAS, which was developed by Roketsan primary for use from attack helicopters, is an antitank missile system. With its advanced technology it is highly effective against all armored threats in the field.

UMTAS, with its maximum range of 8 km and minimum range of 500 m is capable of operating all weather conditions and day/night.

UMTAS, which can be used in Fire and Forget and Fire and Update modes, with the flexibility provided by its target update capability, offers to fire behind the mask position, fire against targets hiding behind mask and adjust hit point and damage assesment capability. UMTAS, defined as the official antitank system of the National Attack Helicopter (T – 129) under development, can be integrated to various platforms (Helicopter, UAV, Land Vehicle, Stationary Platform, Light Assault Aircraft, Naval Platform)